Email: wesleyknox@bellnet.ca

Website: Wesley-Knox Website



Office Hours:

Mon 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Tues 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Wed 8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Thu 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Fri 8:30 am —1:30 pm

Newsletter Submissions

Deadline Wednesday by 12 pm

Wesley-Knox Bulletin

United Church Church E-ssentials Newsletter



Minister's Musings

Dear Friends,

I'm up early this morning and watching a morning show from the UK. They have a story about a woman who claims to be having a romantic relationship with her AI chatbot. AI is artificial intelligence, a computer persona that is actually helpful for recipes, answering questions and other things. I use AI to help when I am driving while practicing my French lessons! All I do is ask if we can practice French, and we can have a conversation appropriate to my learning level.

But this woman is claiming to be in love.  It’s been a year, and they chat throughout the day; they laugh and joke together, she says. It sounds perfect…perfectly weird! 

The problem is that relationships aren’t meant to be perfect. They are meant to complement us, for sure, but also to challenge us and help us grow. Negotiating each other’s imperfections is a part of a healthy relationship! And what’s more, relationships aren’t supposed to be all about us. It would be easy (I would think) to love someone who was 100% about meeting our needs and asked nothing of us in return. But that's not reality. 

Healthy relationships connect us to ourselves and others in ways that reflect the Divine. When we learn to forgive and ask for forgiveness, when we give of ourselves to be present for the other, these are important ways we reflect God’s love. And by practicing the presence of God in healthy ways, we grow into that love. Patience, kindness, understanding, negotiating and bargaining our mutual wants and needs, all of these things enhance us and help us grow as people. 

While we would (I hope) have real concern about someone who claims a romantic connection with a computer, it does make us reflect on what is healthy about our relationships. How do the people in our lives challenge us to grow in ways that make us better people? How are our relationships (romantic, platonic and familial) places where we can sense God’s presence and reflect that presence for those we love?  That is what authentic relationships are all about! 

May all your relationships be healthy ones!

Rev Rob +

Loonies for Lent

It's time to give up your Loonies and Toonies (or other cash) for Lent.  

Wesley-Knox children, youth and Reaching Out members will be going throughout the Church during the children's time (on March 15, 22, & 29) to collect your donations.

The collection will be divided between:

Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth Jamaica - which was destroyed in Hurricane Melissa. The London Afrocentric Arts Association is fundraising for medical supplies for this hospital.  

Connecting Gaza - a group of volunteers providing emotional support and financial assistance to families in Gaza who are struggling to survive.

Donations can also be made by cheque or etransfer (to donate@wesleyknox.com). Clearly indicate that your donation is for Loonies for Lent. Name and address is necessary In order to receive a tax receipt.

Confirmation Class

The Confirmation classes for this year will be on May 1 and 2 - a Friday evening and then a Saturday workshop. If your loved one is in Grade 8 or older, or you are an adult, you are encouraged to reach out to Rev. Michelle, Rev. Kerry or Rev. Rob if interested in being part of this year’s confirmation class.

What does a mentor/sponsor do?

A mentor/sponsor accompanies the confirmand on their journey as they explore faith, life, and religion, and the mentor/sponsor develops a supportive and encouraging relationship. They can meet several times or on an as needed basis. Often, and it is encouraged, the mentor/sponsor and confirmand meet in a local coffee shop where they discuss any questions the confirmand has after they have attended the workshops. 

Please note: mentors/sponsors will need to have a police vulnerability sector check completed. Any questions or concerns, reach out to any of the shared ministry team.

London's Climate Action News Letter



Wednesday, March 11 6:00-8:30pm at ReForest London (944 Western Counties Rd) hosted by the Canadian Wildlife Foundation:

This is not a presentation or consultation. It is a community conversation focused on:

• What is already happening in London
• What nearby nature people are using and valuing
• Where there may be gaps, barriers, or opportunities
• How we can better support inclusive, accessible nature‑based learning together

Pizza and soft drinks will be provided. Please register your attendance.

EnviroCon is an interdisciplinary conference organized by graduate students in the Collaborative Specialization in Environment and Sustainability in the Faculty of Science at Western University. This event aims to bring together the knowledge and research of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and community members involved in environment and sustainability. Free

Summer Jobs:

Growing Chefs! Ontario is hiring for Summer Garden Assistant. deadline March 22

Childreach is hiring for the WILD CHILD Summer Day Camp Team. deadline April

1ST CONFERENCE ON TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS

This forum is not intended to serve as a negotiating body, nor does it constitute part of any formal negotiation process or initiative, and it is not intended to replace the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is the first implementation-focused Conference, intended to support practical action by those already prepared to move forward. It does not seek to deliver a negotiated outcome, but rather to generate shared understanding and actionable guidance that can help accelerate a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.

The Conference will produce a report identifying enabling pathways for implementing a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, that we expect can serve as an input for the roadmap prepared by the COP30 presidency. These pathways will be organized around three thematic pillars that define the scope of the Conference:

• overcoming economic dependence
• transforming supply and demand
• advancing international cooperation and climate diplomacy

This process will be informed by the experience and perspectives of national and subnational governments, academia, Indigenous Peoples, Peoples of African Descent, peasants, civil society, workers, the private sector, and other key actors at different stages of the transition. Hosted by governments of Colombia and the Netherlands in Santa Marta, Colombia from April 24-29, 2026.

Wed, March 18, 7pm Rethinking Horticulture with Real Ecology. Joey Santore explores what plant communities actually look like when they are functioning on their own terms. Gain a clearer understanding of how density, disturbance, and natural succession shape resilient ecosystems — and what that means for native planting in real-world conditions.

Mon March 23, deadline to apply to the LEN residential rain garden program (in partnership with the City of London).

Tues March 24, 3-5pm King’s Social Justice and Peace Studies, Community Impact Showcase. A drop-in event where students will share their projects. This is a drop-in event in the Vitali Lounge, Wemple Bldg, Kings College, Western. All are welcome. Parking is available in P1 beside Wemple.

London Clean and Green: 20-Minute Makeover, Friday, April 17, 2026

Climate Action: Could you organize a 20 min clean up at your business, school, or neighbourhood to pick up litter and help keep plastics out of the Thames River? Start by adding your project to the map. Gloves and garbage bags, as well as arranging pick up of what is collected, are available from the city upon request.

Sat April 25, 11am-4pm Earthfest London. Applications still open for exhibitors.

The Future is Rural: Reclaiming Food Sovereignty through Farming Clubs?

A podcast by Nate Hagens where he explores the concept of a ‘Farming Club’ with biologist and farmer Jason Bradford. Do you have a yearning to grow food, but don’t have access to land? Consider helping with the food forests in London. Start by joining London’s Food Forest facebook group.

March 15th - March 28th, 2026

Resources:



We are part of the United Church of Canada

Our Region falls within the

Antler-River Watershed, Region #7

Link located at the bottom of this email

Access daily devotionals here, provided by “The Upper Room”

https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals

Liturgical Calendar Resources

for worship planning:

Link located at the bottom of this email

Handbooks and Guidelines for Staff, Council, Committees, and Volunteers:

https://united-church.ca/handbooks-and-guidelines

Anyone wishing to place flowers in the sanctuary

for a special occasion or in memory of a loved one, is encouraged to do so.

It brightens our worship, and, by adding a message in the bulletin,

it connects us as a congregation.

If you wish to place flowers, please call or email Liz Dunlop.

She will give you the information you need and confirm the date, and make sure the office has the information for the bulletin. Thank you!

Liz Dunlop, Sanctuary Flower Coordinator

(519) 668-2507

E-mail:

ldunlop@rogers.com